Executive Summary: Supporting Nurses Through Education: Increasing Comfort in Caring for Patients Experiencing Miscarriage

Abstract

Background: Education, empathy-based communication, trauma-informed care (TIC), and standardized protocols enhance nursing confidence. Nurses are unprepared to care for patients experiencing miscarriage due to limited education in therapeutic communication and insufficient available resources. Purpose: In a community hospital without women’s services, education sessions supported by miscarriage treatment guidelines, scenario-based, standardized, trauma-informed conversations, and access to local resources can increase nurses' confidence in handling difficult conversations. Methods: A Plan-Do-Study-Act framework was used. Pre- and post-surveys were administered using the validated Likert-scale Health Professionals Communication Skills Scale (HP-CSS). A learning session was developed to explain miscarriage treatment options and care guidelines and to introduce the TIC approach, delivered in a didactic format. Additionally, five scenario-based simulations were developed to integrate TIC into patient scenarios. A resource packet was prepared for patients at discharge. Results: 22 ED nurses at a community hospital showed increased empathy and social skills, including improved patient-centered communication and nonverbal expression, as well as increased nursing confidence. Nurses progressed from being hesitant to being assertive and intentional in their communication with patients. A resource packet with local miscarriage resources was approved by the health system for patient distribution. Conclusions: The implementation of a trauma-informed educational intervention successfully improved ED nurses’ confidence and ability to care for patients experiencing miscarriage. The project achieved meaningful outcomes and underscored the importance of education, adaptability, and interdisciplinary collaboration in improving patient care.